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Russian forces fire warning shots at Crimea's Belbek airbase

Russian forces have fired warning shots in to the air at Belbek air base in Crimea. The base holds a squadron of Ukrainian fighter jets so the Russian occupying it were especially tense when a column of unarmed Ukrainian soldiers marched towards them in protest. The base is near the port of Sevastopol, not far from where Russia's Black Sea fleet is based.

Transcript

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CHRIS UHLMANN: But first, Russia has test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile. Its military says the missile was launched from a test range near the Caspian Sea at another testing range in neighbouring Kazakhstan.

Washington says it was properly notified ahead of the launch but it will do nothing to ease the tensions over Russia's occupation of part of Ukraine.

Overnight Russian forces fired warning shots into the air as ranks of unarmed Ukrainian soldiers marched towards them at Belbek air base in Crimea.

The Russians troops took over the base near the port of Sevastopol last week, not far from where Russia's Black Sea fleet is based.

The airbase holds a squadron Ukranian fighter jets so tension was high as the two forces faced off.

MATT BROWN: The Belbek base is a miserable corner of Crimea. Amidst the old pines beside the staff headquarters, the blue and yellow of Ukraine still hangs from the flag pole, weighed down by days of drizzle.

But the Russians have seized control of the airbase next door, along with its fleet of Ukrainian fighter jets.

(Sound of Colonel Mamcur Yuli Valeryavic speaking)

Colonel Mamcur Yuli Valeryavic told me "the solders of our brigade guard the aviation equipment and airport and I made a decision to get them back to their posts."

(Sound of soldiers marching)

So, trying perhaps to salvage some military dignity, the Ukrainians marched up, unarmed, to talk to the Russians.

The Russians responded, taking up machine gun and sniper positions - one even aimed what appeared to be a simple anti-tank weapon.

And, to ensure the Ukrainians thought twice about their next move, (sound of gunshots) shots fired in the air and a tense stand-off ensued.

There was plenty of defiance from the Ukrainians (sound of gunfire), but plenty of deterrence from the Russians, too, and the Ukrainians knew they had no chance of getting their jets back.

And that's not their only concern. They say Russian troops knocked on the doors of some of their homes on the weekend, telling their wives they are "the whores of Bandera," a reference to a famous Ukrainian fighter, which is obviously a double-barrelled insult in the eyes of the Russians.

(Sound of Colonel Mamcur Yuli Valeryavic speaking)

"Of course we are worried," Colonel Mamcur told me. "We serve here, our women are here, and we worry about our wives and children. We want to try to resolve this problem in a peaceful manner."

We entered Colonel Mamcur's complex via a back road not blocked by the Russians. It's next to rows of low cost housing filled with families and fading hope. The Colonel and his men could just abandon their posts, but he says they won't.

(Sound of Colonel Mamcur Yuli Valeryavic speaking)

"We don't plan to leave this territory, it's ours," he says. "We will stay here to the last soldier. We are keeping faith with the oath we made to the Ukrainian people."

Fine words, with no muscle to back them, and some of their most prized assets at stake. The Belbek base is in many ways a microcosm of Ukraine's dilemma as Russian president Vladimir Putin insists he is on the right side of this struggle.